- Capitalism and Alternatives -

The fascism/competition meme

Posted by: Loudon Head on February 03, 19100 at 23:43:27:

In Reply to: I welcome a regime that has instituted violent racism instead of politics? posted by Lark on February 03, 19100 at 14:27:56:

: : Yes, and such a stupid statement could be refuted by pointing out that human ingenuity, especially when provoked by market incentives, tends to find new uses for previously useless resources, spurring infinite growth in spite of finite resources. See the work of Julian Simon.

: Well, I've not seen it in the world, this is all so much capitalist ideology.

If you've not seen it, it's because you choose not to. See here

: : : However I realise there are no absolutes, I'm not wedded to ideology other than Humanism which doesnt set up absolutes 'musts', 'prerequisites' or 'conditions' for a 'free order', while I refer to my social and political creed as Socialist/Socialism that is merely to provide constrast with anti-humanist positions.

: : ...leaving yourself open to any fascistic philosophy that comes down the road, as long as its proponents use words that sound vaguely humanist.

: OK, I see you have denegrated to political prejudice and ignorance to try and 'fight for your fixed positions', that's fine if you cant take the heat, I'll explain why what you say is nonsense though:

: 1)Facism is a system in which violent struggle, racism, sectarianism, the battle of allegiance has superceded politics, liberty or sociability. Attempting to make facism synominous with authoritarianism or even totalitarianism is cheap point scoring and will lead to a situation whereby debating is made impossible but the issues remain, EG it is like two chess players and the one jumps to his feet accusing the other of bigamy or arson. Facism is no ones political football and treating it as such reduces the terrifying nature of the genuine ideology.

: 2) Facism is anti-social competition taken to it's logical conclusion where all resources are competed for, where all power is competed for, where all pleasure is competed for.

Where on earth are you getting your definition of fascism? Here's mine (and the most common one):

Fascism: A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

The only distinction between it and what might be called totalitarianism or authoritarianism is that fascism requires a single dictator, whereas either of the others might also be centralized under a bureaucracy.

Nowhere in the widely-understood definition of fascism is there anything about competition. Associating fascism with competition is a little meme that socialists have been trying to place for years now. Sadly, looks like the propaganda has stuck in your case.




Follow Ups:

The Debating Room Post a Followup